Remembering......

Local One-room schools

 

North and South Bright Schools

Green Grove Twp., Clark Co., Wisconsin

 

Excerpt from Kris Leonhardt's Owen-Withee Enterprise series,

 

As in most rural schools, students at the South Bright School grew to anticipate two important events held at the school during the year. The summer picnic was a source of enjoyment for students and the community alike. The event was held on the last day of school, with local residents invited.

 

"Getting ready for the picnic was exciting. We got to write with colored chalk and make spring scenes," says Helen Vater Blaha, who attended South Bright School through the seventh grade.

 

The event also featured a potluck dinner. "There was all of this good food," recalls Vater Blaha "The water bubbler was also filled with lemonade."

 

In addition to the summer picnic, students looked forward to the annual Christmas program. In preparation, a stage was erected inside the school, complete with curtains.

"It was so exciting when they put the curtains up," says Vater Blaha.

 

All of the students were assigned parts by the teacher and they spent weeks rehearsing. Vater Blaha recalls a particularly funny incident that occurred at one Christmas program with her friend, Janet Haemer: "She got on stage to do her piece and I guess someone pointed out to her that she still had her gum in her mouth. So, she spit it out into the audience."

 

South Bright School was the first of two schools to be constructed in Section 19 of the Green Grove Township.  Local history, further supported by early plat maps of the area, states that the school was opened in the year of 1894. The school was constructed on the southwest corner of the section 19, on the corner of County Road D and County Road N, and named after H. A. Bright, who was instrumental in the creation of the Bright Station just 1-1/2 miles east of the school.

 

After a fire destroyed the original building, a new red brick school was erected in its place. The new brick building had a porch that faced west toward County Road D, with a door an each end of the porch.

 

As the settlements in the area began to grow a need for a second school arose. In 1924, the North Bright School was constructed on the northeast corner of section 19 on what is now Broek Road.

 

"We didn't have much for playground equipment," recalls Vater Blaha, "but we never ran out of fun at recess."

 

Vater Blaha and other students enjoyed games, such as: "Pom Pom Pull-A-Way", "Andy-Over", "Simple Simon", and "Prisoner's Goal".

 

Students started out their school day with the "Pledge of Allegiance" and a song would follow. "Sandy Kangas was our accompanist. Sometimes it was so cold, she wore gloves," recalls Vater Blaha.

 

As in other schools, students saw teachers come and go throughout their school years. "We had some good teachers," says Vater Blaha, "There was Stuvy, June Klabon, Mary Fritz, and Hallowell."  1929-30 school term records list Ruth Johnson as the teacher for North Bright and Leona Verkuilen as the teacher at South Bright.

 

 In the mid-1950's the North Bright School was consolidated into the South Bright School. "In the 1954-55 school year, we had about 17 students. In 1956, we combined with North Bright. We had about 40 students after," says Vater Blaha.

 

In 1958, South Bright School was then consolidated into the Owen-Withee School District. The building that housed the South Bright School was eventually torn down, but the water pump was left standing. The corner now sits empty, but small reminders of the school still remain.

 

The North Bright School building, however, still stands.  Since the school's closing, the facility has been remodeled into a house.  It still stands as a private residence on Broek Road.

 

The North Bright School as it appears today (2007)

 

Story and photos by Kris Leonhardt

O-W Enterprise 2007

 

 

 

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